Apparatus for facilitating splitting of cord wood and the like



Feb. 16, 1965 3,169,760

P. FIELD APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING SPLITTING 0F CORD WOOD AND THE LIKEFiled Oct. 26, 1962 INVENTOR.

PAU L FIE L D BY W ATTORNEY United States Patent fifrce 3,159,760Patented Feb. 16, 1965 This invention relates to a device forfacilitating splitting of cord wood and the like, for use, for example,in fire places and stoves. No such device is commercially available.While standards tor Christmas trees have been proposed and arecommercially available, they are not suitable for holding lengths ofcord wood while it is being split. One reason for this is because aholder for cord wood must absorb the shock of the blows of an axe, or asledge hammer or maul transmitted through a wedge. Another reason is thefact that the ground surface on which the length of cord wood is upendedis not level and hard as in the case :of a floor.

An object of the invention is to provide such a device which will besimple, effective and durable.

Another object of the device is to provide a device for holding a lengthof cord wood in upright position while it is being split which will bequickly adaptable to lengths of wood of diiferent diameter and willprovide effective support lengths of wood of different diameter.

The invention will best be understood if the following description isread in connection with the drawings in which:

'FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view showing in perspective three different forms \of armsadapted for use in an embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the device its arms in at rest position.

As illustrated herein, the device comprises a base defined by threestrips of iron 1t 12 and 14, of equal length, each having end portionsa, 10b, 12a, 12b; and 14a, 14b bent outwardly at an angle ofsubstantially 45. The three strips are arranged to form a triangularframe but with their end portions spaced apart and disposed in parallelrelation. Rotatably supported by and between the pairs of end portionsrespectively are the pivot rods 16, 18, and 2b. The members 10, 12, and14 are rigidly interconnected by brackets 22, 24, and 26 which bridgethe spaces between the adjacent ends of said members just inwardly ofthe pairs of opposed parallel end portions of said members, 10a, 14a,Nb, 12a, and 12b, 1412 respectively. Each bracket has end portions bentto lie flat against the inside surfaces of the triangle forming memberswhich they interconnect, and the said bent portions may be welded orbolted or otherwise secured to the members in any satisfactory manner.

Mounted for rotation on the pivot rods 16, 18, and are the arms 28, 3t)and 32, Means are provided for causing the side edges of the arms tofrictionally engage the bent ever end portions of the frame membersbetween which the pivot rods are respectively mounted. For this purposelock washers 33 may be employed positioned around each pivot rod betweenthe edges of the arm pivoted on said pivot rod and the inner surfaces ofthe opposed end portions of the frame members between which the pivotrod is supported. This construction enables the arms to stand in araised position.

The arm members shown in the drawings are long enough to reach andengage between their elevated outer ends a length of wood of smalldiameter or a length of wood of substantially larger diameter, the armsbeing elevated at different angle depending upon the diameter of thelength to be engaged. The arcs described by the free ends of the armsenables them to engage lengths of wood placed between them throughout awide range of inclinations of the arms, and the weight of the arms andthe fractional grip between them and their pivot rods respectively issuch that the engagement of the arms with the length of wood ispositive. Once the arms have been placed 'with their inner ends againstthe length of wood, their contact with the length of wood is notdisturbed by the blows of an :axe or sledge hammer or maul upon theupper end of the length.

Preferably the arms are made long enough so that in their at restpositions in the plane of the frame their free ends will overlap oneanother. 'In FIG. 1 the device is shown employing arms of the kindillustrated by FIG. 213, with the tubular member 34 at the pivot end andwith the free end cut straight across, The pivot rods are, of course,inserted endwise through the tubular ends 34 of the arms and theparallel end portions [of the frame members by which they are supported.

In FIG. 2A a modified form of arm is shown, the inner end being bentover to provide a substantially tubular portion 36 to receive a pivotrod, and the outer end portion 38 being curved in a direction away froma length of wood engaged by the outer end of the In FIG. 2C a tubularmember similar to 34 in FIG. 2B is shown, and at the outer end of thearm a member 40 is shown which is curved concavely. The specific memberis a segment of the arc of a circle and is adapted to provide extendedcontact around a portion of the perimeter of a length of wood.

The apparatus illustrated above functions efiectively to hold in uprightposition lengths of cord wood varying diameter through a range ofdiameters. By modifying the size of the apparatus including the arms 10,12 and 14 the range :of diameters of lengths of wood which can beeffectively held in position by the device may also be modified.

The stiff action of the arms is of practical advantage since the armsmay be first elevated, and do not have to be held up, while a length ofwood to be split is positioned within the frame. The arms are then moveddown until their outer ends abut against the periphery of the length ofwood.

There has thus been provided a structure in which the above mentionedobjects are accomplished in a thoroughly practical manner.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for holding upright a length of cord wood and the like forsplitting which comprises, a base, a number of arms pivoted to the baseand extending inwardly of the base, and mounted for movement from an atrest position in which each arm is disposed substantially in the planeof the base to a position in which each arm is inclined upwardly toengage the sides of a length of cord wood and the like placed on endwithin the area defined by the base, at least one of the arms beingcurved concavely at its outer end in the plane of the arm to partlyencircle a length of cord wood or the like when moved into contact withit.

2. Apparatus for holding upright a length of cord wood and the like forsplitting which comprises, three frame members disposed in the form of atriangle, the ends of the members being bent outwardly at an angle ofsubstantially 45", so that each apex of the triangle is defined by apair of bent over ends spaced apart and substantially parallel, meansinterconnecting each member to each of the others adjacent to, andinwardly of, the parallel bent over end portions, pivot nods mountedbetween opposed, substantially parallel, bent over end p=ortions of theframe members, and arms pivoted on said 'pivot rods and extending in thedirection of the center of the triangular frame,

are provided between the sides of the arms wher nhey are mounted on thepivot mods and the bent over ends of mhe fram emembers vbecwaaan whichIthe pivot mods are respoctivly inountod giving stiffness to the motarymovement'of the arms on their pivo ts respectively and. enabling eacharm to standlin a raised position thus :fiacilitating the placing of theilongfli of cord Wood and the like on end Within 'che frame.' V

Referenes Qied in 'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 283,3927 Hennebrg Aug. 21,1883 1,231,848 Centoieiia. 4- July 3, 1917 247 124Sin-ith May 24, :1949

2. APPARATUS FOR HOLDING UPRIGHT A LENGTH OF CORD WOOD AND THE LIKE FORSPLITTING WHICH COMPRISES, THREE FRAME MEMBERS DISPOSED IN THE FORM OF ATRIANGLE, THE ENDS OF THE MEMBERS BEING BENT OUTWARDLY AT AN ANGLE OFSUBSTANTIALLY 45*, SO THAT EACH APEX OF THE TRIANGLE IS DEFINED BY APAIR OF BENT OVER ENDS SPACED APART AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, MEANSINTERCONNECTING EACH MEMBER TO EACH OF THE OTHERS ADJACENT TO, ANDINWARDLY OF, THE PARALLEL BENT OVER END PORTIONS, PIVOT RODS MOUNTEDBETWEEN OPPOSED, SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, BENT OVER END PORTIONS OF THEFRAME MEMBERS, AND ARMS PIVOTED ON SAID